we hope will be soon forgotten amongst us. It is an Amusement fit only for the bloodiest Savages, and not for humanized Men, much less for Christians! This was formerly in Use on this Day at Newcastle, but is now laid aside. We wish it consigned

to eternal Oblivion!

Mr. Bourne takes no Notice of Ash-Wednesday, so called from a Custom observed in the antient Christian Church, of Penitents expressing their Humiliation at this Time by appearing in Sackcloth and Ashes*. The Want of this Discipline is at present supplied by reading publicly on this. Day the Curses denounced against impenitent Sinners, when the People repeat an Amen after each Curse.

Enlightened as we think ourselves at this Day, there are many who consider this general Avowal of the Justice of God's Wrath against impenitent Sinners, as cursing their Neighbours, consequently like good Christians they keep away from Church on the Occasion.-A Folly and Superstition worthy of the After-midnight, the Spirit walking Time of Popery.

Cinere quia se conspergunt in pœnitentia Judæi. Gregor. Mag. statuit, ut in Quadragessima ante initium Missæ Cineres consecrentur, quibus Populus aspergebatur, & diem huic rei sacrum dat, in quo cuncti generatim mortales characterem cinereum in fronte accipiant. Moresin. Deprav. Rel. Orig. 37.

"

There is a curious Clause in one of the Romish Casuists concerning the keeping of Lent; it is, "that Beggars which are ready to affamish for Want, may in Lent Time eat what they can get !" See Bishop Hall's Triumphs of Rome, p. 123. In

In a Convocation held in the Time of Henry the Eighth, mentioned in Fuller's Church History, p. 222, giving of Ashes on Ash Wednesday, to put in Remembrance every Christian Man in the

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Beginning of Lent and Penance, that he is but "Ashes and Earth, and thereto shull return," &c. is reserved with some other Rites and Ceremonies, 'that survived the Shock, that almost, overthrew, at that remarkable Era, the whole Pile of Catholic Superstitions.

CHAP. XXII.

Of Palm-Sunday: Why so called: how observed in the Popish Times: What it is truely to carry Falms in our Hands on this Day.

THE Sunday before Easter, which is denominated Palm-Sunday, is so called, * because, as the Ritualists say, on that Day, the Boughs of Palm-Trees were wont to be carried in Procession, in Imitation of those which the Children of Israel strawed in the Way of CHRIST. For they cut down Branches from the Trees, and strawed them in the Way; which according to the Consent of Antiquity, were the Branches of the Palm-Tree; it being very common in that Country, and used as an Emblem of Victory. And a Doctor of our own Church, in his Discourse upon this Festival, says, "From the Story, as described by St.

Dicitur enim dominica in ramis palmarum, quod illo die rami palmarum in processionibus deportentur in signification em illorum, quos filii Israel statuerunt in via, Christo jam Teniente, Belith. 531. P. 34. Cap. Durand. Lib. 6. P. 327. in Ram.

Dr. Spark's Feasts and Fasts.

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Luke

"Luke and St. Matthew, some of the ancient "Church took Occasion, as on this Day, to go " in Procession with Palms in their Hands, and to denominate it Palm-Sunday.”

But however harmless this Custom might have been, in the Times of its first institution, it is certain, that in after Ages it sunk into Superstition and gross Idolatry. Thus the Rhemists, in their Translation of the New Testament, describe the Ceremony themselves: "These Offices of Honour, done to "our Saviour extraordinarily, were very ac'ceptable. And for a Memory hereof, the "Holy Church maketh a solemn Procession 66 every Year upon this Day; specially in our Country, when it was Catholick, with the “Blessed Sacrament reverently carryed, as it "were CHRIST upon the Ass, and strawing of Bushes and Flowers, bearing of Palms, setting up of Boughs, spreading and hanging 66 up the richest Clothes, the Quire and Qui"resters singing, as here the Children and the People; all done in a very godly Ceremony, to the Honour of CHRIST, and the Memory of his Triumph upon this Day. The like Service, and the like Duties done "to him in all other solemn Processions of

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"the

"the Blessed Sacrament, and otherwise, be "undoubtedly no less grateful. Dr. * Fulke upon this, gives this Answer: " "Your Palm

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Sunday Procession was horrible Idolatry, "and abusing of the LORD's Institution, who "ordained his Supper to be eaten and drunken, not to be carryed about in Procession like a Heathenish Idol: But it is pretty Sport, that "you make the Priests that carryeth this Idol, to supply the Room of the Ass, on "which CHRIST did ride: Thus you turn the Holy Mistery of CHRIST'S riding to Jerusa"lem, to a May-game and pagent Play. And

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yet you say, such Service done to CHRIST "is undoubtedly exceeding grateful; yea, no "less grateful, than that was done by his Dis"ciples, at the Time mentioned in the Text: "Your Argument and Proof is none, but your “bure Asseverations. That which the Disci

ples did, had the warrant of the Holy Scrip"ture; but who hath regarded these Thea❝trical Pomps at their Hands? Or what Word of GOD have you to assure you that he accepteth such Will-worship? Who detesteth "all Worship, which is according to the Doc

*Fulk. in Loc. Mat.

"trines